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Questions and Answers
What happens to the pH of seawater as it becomes more acidic?
What happens to carbonate ions in acidic seawater?
What is the effect of acidic waters on the shells of marine organisms?
Why is the building of skeletons in marine creatures sensitive to acidity?
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What do shell-building marine animals combine to make calcium carbonate?
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Why can't shell-building organisms use bicarbonate to grow new shells?
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What happens to existing calcium carbonate molecules when there are too many hydrogen ions around?
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How much less shell are mussels expected to grow by the end of the century?
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What type of calcium carbonate do urchins and starfish use to build their shell-like parts?
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What happens to oyster larvae in acidic water?
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What is affected in mussels in acidic water?
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What happens to the shells of urchins and starfish in acidic water?
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Study Notes
Ocean Acidification
- pH of seawater decreases as it becomes more acidic
- This process binds up carbonate ions, making them less abundant, which affects shelled organisms' ability to build shells and skeletons
Impact on Shell-Building
- Acidic waters can dissolve shells and make it harder for shells to grow
- Building of skeletons in marine creatures is particularly sensitive to acidity
- Hydrogen ions bond with carbonate, a key component of calcium carbonate shells, making it harder for shelled animals to build their homes
Calcium Carbonate Formation
- Shell-building marine animals combine calcium ions with carbonate from surrounding seawater to form calcium carbonate
- Calcium carbonate formation is affected by the presence of hydrogen ions, which bond with carbonate more strongly than calcium
Consequences for Shelled Animals
- Shelled animals, including mussels, clams, urchins, and starfish, have trouble building their shells in more acidic water
- Mussels and oysters are expected to grow less shell by 25% and 10% respectively by the end of the century
- Urchins and starfish build their shell-like parts from high-magnesium calcite, which dissolves more quickly than aragonite, making their shells weaker
Additional Impacts
- Mussels' byssal threads can't hold on as well in acidic water
- Oyster larvae fail to begin growing their shells in acidic water, leading to massive oyster die-offs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest
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Description
Learn about the impact of ocean acidification on marine life, including its effects on shell growth and carbonate ions. Understand how increased CO2 levels affect seawater pH and the building of skeletons in marine creatures.
